


Three Strikes

by watercolorwoman



Series: Persona Rarepair Week - Akeharu [3]
Category: Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Angst, F/M, Implied Sexual Content, Persona 5: The Royal Spoilers, Romance, Soulmate-Identifying Marks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-30
Updated: 2020-11-30
Packaged: 2021-03-10 05:21:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,032
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27799150
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/watercolorwoman/pseuds/watercolorwoman
Summary: Haru Okumura knew the tattoo on her hip meant finding someone she could spend the rest of her life with. Coincidences line up with the last person she ever thought it would be.But it didn't scare her, not one bit.Day 7 for Rarepair Week: Soulmate AU
Relationships: Akechi Goro/Okumura Haru
Series: Persona Rarepair Week - Akeharu [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2024503
Kudos: 25





	Three Strikes

Her tattoo was a small black crow sitting on a pink flower on the side of her hip. Haru never thought much of it, even with the talk of tattoos being linked to soulmates. It's confusing for her, at first. Why else would a bird connect her to her soulmate? She watched people around her fall in love, happening to find their soulmates along the way: Ann & Ren, and Ryuji & Makoto had all discovered they were each other's soulmates over the span of a year, and it made sense to her. Their tattoos connected them to each other, small parts somehow made sense. 

The first time she's suspicious is when Goro picks his codename: Crow. 

The moment she gets home after their first trip into Sae's palace, she checks her hip to see the bird. After surfing the internet for all kinds of birds, a crow was the only way to describe it. It could have been a coincidence, of course. 

Even worse than the potential of a coincidence was their blooming friendship. It started out with lingering after meetings, which became texting each other for non-Phantom Thief business, and finally, seeing each other on days when they weren't going into the palace. It was becoming so frequent, they both hid their identities in public to avoid the public eye, as her father's scandal unfolded and his popularity varied. 

Haru didn't stop the meet ups when they discovered he would betray them. She tried to convince herself it was all for the common good, to keep up appearances. But that wasn't it; she wanted to see him. She continued to run into his arms, and for some reason, he never pulled away. 

Not until the betrayal, is when the text messages stopped. And she was left with an odd, empty feeling inside. 

The second time she's suspicious is when they see each other again in Kichioji, after the betrayal. 

She wasn't trying to look for him. After all, she just wanted to eat some sweets before going home for the day. How was she supposed to know they'd bump into each other at the bakery, or worse, ask for the same treat at the same time? 

"Perhaps we should speak." He says to her calmly. 

"I don't believe I have anything to say to you." She retorts back. "Let him have it, I'll take a melon pan instead." 

Goro hands the cashier enough money to cover both of their treats. They give him his treat, and he stops just behind her. 

"I'll be outside, I know you want answers." He whispers. Her eyes follow his walk outside, sitting at a table at the end. With the cold weather creeping in, there was no way anyone else would go outside. 

Haru takes the baked good, and makes the decision to meet him there. At the very least, she could get answers for his betrayal. She was hurt, even though she knew it was coming. It didn't make it any easier to lose him. 

She sits across from him, placing the melon pan in front of her. Instead of nibbling, she lightly taps on the plate to keep her mind at ease. 

"Why did you kill him?" She asks simply. It was a broad question, and the 'he' in question could refer to either her father or Ren. They both knew this, she didn't have to spell it out for him. Either answer would suffice.

"I had a contractor pay me a significant amount in exchange for his life." He takes a bite out of his treat. A vague answer for a vague question, and yet, it answered all her questions. He was in it for the money, and wouldn't be worth probing any further. Any potential feelings she was developing needed to be set aside. 

"I see. Well, if neither of us are interested in speaking why invite me out here then?" Haru pushes. He seems mildly stunned by the question, but keeps a calm composure. 

"Can't I simply enjoy the company of an old friend? We did see each other often while investigating Sae's palace." Goro smirks at her. She looks down at the melon pan, taking a bite out to hold her tongue back. Now was not the time to reciprocate his flirts. By the time she swallows, she knows she'll crack soon.

"I should leave." Haru stands up from her seat, swiftly walking out of the bakery. She stands near the entrance, leaning against a street light beaming down on her. She hears the bell of the bakery again, seeing the familiar jacket come her way. She rolls her eyes at him. 

"I understand you might believe I lied to you-" 

"You did. There is no ‘might’, because you lied about your intentions. How many others on our team did you try to see out of the palace to ensure your status would go unnoticed?" She cuts him off. 

"No one, not even you." He softly says. "I spent time with you because I wanted to. There was no gain or ulterior motive in our time together." 

Haru bites her lip. "I don't believe you. Please, just - leave me alone!" She runs off, feeling the tears pricking the corners of her eyes. She expects to hear footsteps behind her, but there's silence when she stops eventually. 

The third and final time she's suspicious takes place months later, when they're in the other reality. 

She didn't expect to see him again, not after his sacrifice in the palace. It hurt her far more than she expected, but she moved on in time. Of everything that could've happened, of course he would return to their lives. The first meeting as a group was pure torture for her. She kept eyeing him, making sure it was truly him and not some doppelganger. With the bags under his eyes and his outlook on life, she was somehow able to confirm it was him. 

When the team breaks up for the day, Haru stays behind to help Ren clean up LeBlanc. It's a quick clean, but it helps her feel better for a fleeting moment. When she steps out and turns to go to the station, he's waiting for her beside a vending machine further down the street. She already knows he's waiting for her. Even though she could go around and still get to the train, she decides to walk towards him anyway. She was going to get the first word in, even if it killed her. 

"I don't understand how you're alive." She says approaching him. He smirks at her. It was strange, because his whole demeanor had changed, and yet it was clearly still the same Goro inside. 

"That makes two of us. Let's walk to the station together, if you're willing to listen we need to chat." Goro tells her. All the bells and whistles in her head were telling her conflicting thoughts. She shouldn't go with him, he was a murder. But also, he was a pawn in Shido's game, forced to do all this for his own safety. 

"Give me one reason why I shouldn't simply walk past you and go alone, after everything you've done." She decides on giving him a way in. That way, she could make a more specific decision based on what he said. He's still for a moment, before slowly walking towards the station. 

"Your tattoo. You have questions, I have answers." He says loudly, continuing forward. That was all she needed to hear for her to run and catch up to him. Clearly, he had been considering the same thing she had. 

"I don't believe you." Is the first thing she says to him, standing in front of him to stop him. 

He grins, "We're going to miss the last train. If you don't want to confirm anything-" 

"I'll call us a car, why don't you come to my home? We can speak there, is that alright?" She rushes, nervously eyeing his whole face for some emotion. Other than a smug smile, it's confusing to pinpoint. 

"Sure, that works." 

They wait at the end of the street quietly for Haru's chauffeur. She makes eye contact with the driver as he steps him after her through the mirror. A gaze implying 'say anything and you're dead'. Aside from the soft sounds of pop music on the radio, the silence from the corner follows them into the car. 

They're dropped off, one last look of confirmation from the driver. He nods, and she's able to wave at him peacefully as he drives away. She could feel the nervousness bubbling inside her chest. Haru hadn't exactly planned for her day to go this way, and yet, here they were. 

Still, silence as they go up the elevator. Goro on one side, facing the view of Tokyo on the window side. Haru on the other, looking at her own reflection in the mirrored side. There's a ding, and the doors creak open. She pulls her keys out from her coat, carefully opening them. It wasn't too late, she could still tell him to leave and he would be understanding enough to agree. 

"Come in, I'll make us some tea." Haru says, starting to remove her coat. She hangs it next to the door, an empty space next to hers for him to hang. Going straight to the kitchen, she rushes a boiling teapot. By the time it's on the stove, he's approaching her. Not seeing him, she jumps slightly when he appears in the corner of her eye. 

"Are you always this skittish?" Goro asks. "I don't recall you being this nervous before." 

"I'm not nervous, I'm okay." Haru lies. Her comfort wasn't her priority right now: finding out if he was her soulmate was. She wasn't sure if he'd make it out of this reality. She had a hunch he wasn't going to, but there was no confirming anything without him directly telling her. 

"If you say so. Now, I suppose we both had an inkling of each other's tattoos, no? We’ve both been too drawn to each other to not notice." Goro starts. "If it's in the same place as mine, it's not exactly orthodox to show." 

Haru swallows dry air, reaching for the counter behind her for stability. "W-well if yours is in a similar place to mine, I'm inclined to agree with you." 

"Yes, but I don't think beating around the bush will get us anywhere. It's on your hip, is it not?" Goro abrasively asks. She avoids his eyes, but knows it's coming. 

"A crow." She says simply. She hears him suck in a bit of air through his teeth. Was he not expecting that response? "It's perched on -." 

"A pink flower." He finishes her sentence, getting closer to her. Her eyes find his. The teapot begins to whistle, but suddenly Haru wasn't in the mood anymore for tea. Her hand shuts off the stove, still looking at him. 

"We can drink the tea later," Haru breathes out. Her cheeks felt warm, her heart beating loudly in her chest. There was something about the way he looked at her that made her feel… safe. Secure. Loved. 

"We should show each other, if you’re comfortable." Goro peddles back on his earlier statement. "Although with the windows here and lack of curtains, I'd prefer not to give Tokyo a show." 

"My room has curtains." Haru squeaks out.

He laughs, "Lead the way." 

Abandoning the teapot, she guides him over to her bedroom. She didn't feel nervous anymore, but something about this felt like she should be. But she couldn't find any reason for her to believe he was a threat. She shuts the blinds when they're inside, and closes the door. 

"Can you show me first? I'd imagine it'd be easier with your pants." Haru explains. Wasting no time, he unbuckles his pants, sliding down his boxers and pants just enough to show her… the exact same tattoo she had. All the coincidences lined up to this moment, the confirmation she'd been looking for. 

"Considering you seem to have the same tattoo, you're staring at it as if it's the first time." Goro teases. 

"I can't believe it." She says in a sigh. "My turn…" With his confirmed, she knows it's time for hers. Considering the dress she had on, it was already going to be strange enough to strip in front of him. And yet, something about it excited her. 

In a moment of confidence, she unbuttons her dress, letting it fall to the floor. Goro's surprised face is the assurance she needs to know he wasn't expecting it. Left in her bra, underwear and tights, she lowers it just enough to show the tattoo on her hip as well. 

"I'll admit I wasn't expecting you to completely remove your dress." His voice cracks slightly at the end. She starts to reach for her dress, lazily through it back on without buttoning it back up. It covered her bottom half, but left parts of her chest exposed. 

"Unfortunately there was no other way for me to do so." Haru sheepily responds. The tension was odd; she couldn't pinpoint exactly what this feeling was between them. She sees Goro's eyes seeming to avoid her open chest, "Are you nervous with me leaving this open?" 

"I'm attempting to stay respectful of your boundaries. You can't hurt me here but in the metaverse your axe concerns me. Considering we still have ways to go I’d prefer to stay alive until we can take Maruki down." Goro says, looking down at his feet. She reaches for his hand, the first time there's any physical contact between them. When they spent time together before the betrayal, there was never any touch. Even now, the team seemed to think Haru wanted nothing to do with him, and he'd constantly be put in a different seat row from her in the Mona car. 

"I understand, but it's alright. I think it would be more difficult for us to avoid our feelings. That is, if you do feel the same." Haru brings his hand up to her chest, avoiding her breasts directly. Instead his hand sat in the space in between. With his other hand, he grabs her by the waist, his body fully facing hers. She could feel his breath on the tip of her nose. 

"You do understand there's no guarantee I'll return to your reality, correct? This affair may be short lived." Goro says. 

She nods. "I'm not allowing this opportunity to pass by." 

"Very well then," He pulls his hand away from her chest, placing it on her chin. He tilts it up slightly, and he closes the distance. The kiss is soft, yet exhilarating. She doesn't expect it to feel so satisfying, and yet she finds her arms clinging to his back. 

The kisses slowly intensify, until the two slowly start walking back to her bed. He sits down, her falling gently onto his lap. Her legs straddle his waist as his hands move down to her lower back. 

From there, it's a blur for Haru. The rest of their clothes come off at some point. Her body stays warm from his hands sliding up and down her body. She can't recall the exact moment he enters her body, but remembers the intense feeling in the pit of her stomach. When she orgasms for the first time, her vision becomes hazy, her ears blocking out the sound. Everything is far away except for his moans from his own pleasure. When he leaves the bed to clean himself, she finds herself dozing off until sleep overtakes her. 

She realizes the gravity of the situation when she wakes up an hour later. There's a blanket up to her shoulders that wasn't there when she fell asleep. Feeling around, she notices he's missing. The panic sets in, and she shoots up out of bed. Her clothing is folded in a neat pile on her armchair, likely placed by Goro. After she puts herself back together, she rushes into the living room to find him sitting there scribbling in a notebook. 

"I thought you left." Haru admits. Truthfully, she wouldn't entirely put it past him to sleep with her and leave, more so with his lack of belief of returning to reality. He stops writing, looking up at her as if he couldn't believe it. 

"Everything went by quickly. It felt like a dream until I came out of the bathroom and you were still there." Goro responds. He sets the notebook off to the side. Haru walks over, sitting directly across from him. She expected to feel strange, as if it was all a mistake. However, it felt far from it. 

"I agree, it was all a bit of a blur. But with everything that's happened and with confirmation, I don't think we can simply go about our lives as if nothing happened." Nor did she want to. There wasn't much time left before they would give Maruki the calling card. That didn't mean they had to separate and act like strangers before then. 

"I don't believe this will go over well with your friends." Goro dryly notes, a twinge of sadness coming through. 

Haru shrugs. "I don't believe they get to decide who I'm with. I get to decide." She reaches for his hands, intertwining them with hers. 

"Yes, our choices are ours alone," Goro laughs. "I'll admit I'm excited to see their reactions, knowing how outrageously bold some of them are." 

"I'm sure they'll try to talk me out of it, but…" But she'd lose him anyway...She winces at the thought of it. There was already a heart wrenching feeling, her pulse picking up for all the wrong reasons. 

"If you're worried about what happens after the palace, don't. Whatever happens after, we can't say yet. For now, we simply enjoy the next few weeks." 

She smiles. If there was one thing she appreciated from his true personality coming through, it was his no nonsense attitude. Everything in her life lined up for this moment. She had to take it in, for however long it lasted.


End file.
